Adding Tempo Runs

In an attempt to get faster, I started doing tempo runs. The format is simple- run out for 30 minutes, turn around and try to make it back in 30 minutes. I'm currently doing them three times per week. I'm planning on doing them for four weeks, then replacing one with some 400 or 800 repeats.

The first run was pretty good- 7.76 miles, 430' climbing, avg. heart rate of 164.

The second was marginally better- 8.09 miles, 601', 164 bpm.

The goal is 10 miles at around the same average heart rate.

anyone else up for experimenting, too?
 
Once my knee is healthy again I will gladly do this. Question though, does this work when almost every route is either uphill or downhill? I live in a hilly area so it would be downhill for first 30 and then back uphill for second 30. To get to a flatter area I would have to drive there...
 
One hour is a pretty long tempo run. In Jack Daniel´s running formula the pace of a 1 hour tempo run equals marathon pace.

I´ve recently overcome my long-term handicap of ankle-pain which always prevented me from running on consecutive days and doing speed-work. And since a couple of weeks I can run 5 days per week and do speedwork, which I am very excited about.

I´m easing into speed cautiously by adding 20 minutes of tempo-run pace into a 13k easy run and 3 intervals of 1,2 k the other week. Until now this works well, without excessive muscle-soreness or recurring ankle-pain. So I´m going to add another interval or two and increase the distance of the tempo-run next time.

How do you pace a tempo-run on a hilly route? By heart-rate? Obviously you can´t simply use pace, because the hills increase effort.
 
That was my same concern as well joohneschuh. I could fly down hill but then turning around and coming back there is no way I could match that pace.
 
One hour is a pretty long tempo run. In Jack Daniel´s running formula the pace of a 1 hour tempo run equals marathon pace.

I´ve recently overcome my long-term handicap of ankle-pain which always prevented me from running on consecutive days and doing speed-work. And since a couple of weeks I can run 5 days per week and do speedwork, which I am very excited about.

I´m easing into speed cautiously by adding 20 minutes of tempo-run pace into a 13k easy run and 3 intervals of 1,2 k the other week. Until now this works well, without excessive muscle-soreness or recurring ankle-pain. So I´m going to add another interval or two and increase the distance of the tempo-run next time.

How do you pace a tempo-run on a hilly route? By heart-rate? Obviously you can´t simply use pace, because the hills increase effort.

The goal of doing the tempo runs is to build the capacity to run faster over long distances. I already do shorter fast runs as part of my fartleks. Besides, my pace over the one hour tempo run would barely qualify for Boston.

Definitely add speedwork cautiously. It will place quite a bit of stress on your body, especially the feet. I'm adding these after a very long cycle of running fast up and down mountains, so I'm pretty well prepared physiologically.

I run based on perceived effort, which is basically pushing as hard as I can while still being able to finish the distance. I don't run by heart rate, but I probably deviate about 5 beats above and below my average.
 
The goal of doing the tempo runs is to build the capacity to run faster over long distances. I already do shorter fast runs as part of my fartleks. Besides, my pace over the one hour tempo run would barely qualify for Boston.

Definitely add speedwork cautiously. It will place quite a bit of stress on your body, especially the feet. I'm adding these after a very long cycle of running fast up and down mountains, so I'm pretty well prepared physiologically.

I run based on perceived effort, which is basically pushing as hard as I can while still being able to finish the distance. I don't run by heart rate, but I probably deviate about 5 beats above and below my average.

I started running without my heart rate monitor and run by feel. Like Jason whatever distance I run, I try to go max and finish. I find that doing it this way my times have come down faster. If the distances are shorter it turns into a sprint. When I feel a little tired the effort becomes less, but still with max effort I can sustain at that time.
 
I was doing something siimilar to this.

I did a 10 mile out, 10 mile back route with the first 10 being at a good effort pace, and the second 10 being ran faster. I ended up with a negative split of a little over 8 minutes.
 

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